Hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee - Opening Statement on the Nomination of Susan Beard to be Inspector General of the Department of Energy

Hearing

"Thank you, Madam Chairman, for scheduling this hearing. And thank you, Ms. Beard, for your
willingness to serve in this capacity as inspector general for the Department of Energy.

"The role of the inspector general, as my colleague has said, is a very important role in any
agency. But an inspector general is charged with the task in this particular agency with the
prevention and detection of fraud and abuse in its programs and operations; it is key.

"This responsibility is especially great in an agency like the Department of Energy:

* with its $30 billion budget,
* its responsibility for maintaining and safeguarding our nuclear arsenal,
* for preserving our nuclear secrets,
* for cleaning up some of the most hazardously contaminated places on earth, and
* for conducting cutting-edge research and development at the distant edges of
scientific understanding.

"The job calls for someone with both integrity and demonstrated ability, who is familiar with the
department's many programs but can still maintain her independence from the agency.
"The inspector general must be able to identify the department's failings, recommend
corrective actions and ensure progress is being made to correct problems. This is something
that I will touch on in my questions.

"This is especially important to me and to the state of Washington, because we have a long
history of leaking nuclear waste tanks, missed cleanup deadlines and workers being exposed
to toxic vapors at Hanford.

"The former inspector general has well documented many of these in past reports. But I will be
looking for assurances that we will be able to hold the department accountable and will ensure
that it meets its cleanup responsibilities and protects its workers. As you probably know, we
have a tri-party agreement with the state of Washington and DOE on meeting these deadlines.

"I believe Ms. Beard has good credentials. She knows the Department of Energy. She has
spent the past 27 years as an attorney in the General Counsel's Office at the Department of
Energy.

"As the department's designated ethics official, she has been responsible for administering the
Ethics in Government Act within the department and guarding against conflicts of interest.

"She has demonstrated good integrity and legal capabilities that the job requires. I will also be
looking forward to questioning about what vigilant watchdog role she can play in holding this
very important agency accountable.

"Thank you very much for your willingness to serve."

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